Dr. Thackeray (LORE)
Dr. Thackeray, the Inexplicable Explosion (Restricted access to personnel with security clearance Umbra) File number: 100105 Real name: Dr. Thomas Neville Thackeray Date of Birth: August 15, 1882, Georgia Marital status: married (wife: Doreen Vera Thackeray, homemaker) Race: White Family: two sons (Henry Tobias, age 41 and William Zebediah, age 36), 2 grandaughters (daughters of Henry – Alice Mary and Dorothy Ann), 1 grandson ( son of William - Albert) Occupation: Professor of Chemistry, Georgia State University Political affiliation: Conservative Nationality: American Education: PhD in Chemistry, 1905 (Yale) Appearance: 5’5, heavy build, white hair and beard, dresses in suits, thick eyebrows, brown eyes Distinguishing marks: chipped upper front tooth, burn scar on right forearm, birthmark chest Criminal record: none (charges for murder dropped) Social Security number: (See attached personal identification documents) Security clearance:low Background: Dr. Thackeray’s family has lived in the south for generations, well-established among the upper class. Dr. Thackeray himself somewhat disappointed family expectations by devoting his life to chemical research – most others in his generation became lawyers (one of his cousins is a recently elected judge). He married early to a quiet, sensible woman and has accomplished a great deal of well regarded research, particularly in explosive chemical reactions (see attached documents, analysis of career highlights by staff chemists). In early February, 1942, he realized that supplies were going missing from his laboratory, corresponding with some high profile bank robberies involving explosives in the Atlanta area. He instructed several students in their graduate-level research and there were many forms of explosives stored in the lab (the war making most of these irreplaceable). He learned that one of his most promising students, Charles Collins, was stealing supplies to sell to black-marketers, who were probably passing them along to the thieves. Hoping he was mistaken, he confronted the student who denied the accusations indignantly. Before Dr. Thackeray could pass on the information to the local authorities, Mr. Collins attempted to blackmail him by kidnapping his two granddaughters. Dr. Thackeray attempted to comply with Mr. Collins’ demands but Mr. Collins apparently decided it would be better if Dr. Thackeray died himself. At this point, Dr. Thackeray’s talent emerged. He caused a glass of water to explode which appears to have killed Mr. Collins (no body was located) and rescued his granddaughters. Agent Price’s team was sent to collect him, an errand less dangerous than it seemed as he was bewildered by his talent’s manifestation. Charges for Mr. Collins’ murder were dropped, after some negotiation with authorities. Abilities: Dr. Thackeray’s talent involves creating explosives out of ordinary materials, chemicals that would ordinarily be completely inert (for example, adding salt to water), but these materials only remain explosive in his presence. In his gaze, compounds that ordinarily explode (see attached documents for tested materials) can be prevented from exploding, even in the presence of other exploding materials. Further, he can direct to some degree the direction an explosion occurs, often preventing damage to property or people if he desires, but this last ability seems particularly draining. Psychological profile: Dr. Thackeray is a well-educated, authoritative gentleman, described by neighbors as a pillar of his community, and active in local affairs. His hearty appearance belies his relatively frail state of health (see attached documents, physician’s analysis) with chronic lung problems. His wife, Doreen, is very concerned that he not over-exert himself. He is more than a little troubled by his talent, explaining that these reactions should not occur and being intimately familiar with the scientific inconsistency of his talent. It seems that this cognitive dissonance hampers the free use of his talents, but he seems willing enough to work to overcome this difficulty. Current assignment: He is undergoing occasional training in Atlanta, and is taking part in the local civil defense group. He is on sabbatical from his university position to conduct research into his new powers, trying to create a scientific context for them, but thus far is unsuccessful. Status updates: (See attached documents)